Anyway, between now and December 8, 2009 YOU could win a free $50 gift card from DD. Just use your twitter account and tell Dunkin Donuts how they keep you going though the holidays. Tweet @DunkinDonuts AND include the hashtag #HoliDDay to be included in this promotion.

They are giving away a card a day. Maybe you will be lucky. $50 in coffee gift cards would keep ya caffeinated for…oh….. ten days or so?

If you have a twitter account an you are always on there anyway, Tweet DD and see how it goes. Free coffee is free coffee. Gotta love it!

Good luck!

image: SXC

Post from: Kettle and Cup

To tell you the truth, I did not EVEN feel one shred of pity. My boss does not provide me with free coffee.  She expects me to work long hours, take only two days off for surgery, and buy my own coffee. My boss is a pain.

Did I mention that I am self employed?

Anyway...Community Coffee read the plight of these undercaffeinated workers and their hearts were moved to pity. …

You know… seriously..do you think people who work at Community Coffee get free coffee?

So Community Coffee is donating coffee to these workers for one year. Hopefully by then the city can get its finances straightened out and pitch in for the coffee.

I just thought that was a nice thing for them to do. You can read the article at Philly.com

image:MaryeAudet

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No purchase is required but they will only be doing giving them away Friday August 7  from 2 to 3 p.m. It is national so if you live near a Peets you are in luck. Here is the store locator if you aren’t sure.

People can complain about the cruddy economy all they want. Look at all the free stuff we are getting out of it! Would someone please email me when someone starts giving away free steaks? Thanks.

image via Peet’s

Post from: Kettle and Cup

I know, it’s a hard job but someone has to do it right?

I was up dark and early this morning.  Here, not only was it 3:30 a.m. but it was dark, coldish, and drizzling.  Not the morning you want to crawl out of bed and head anywhere. Since I was up so early Marc hadn’t gotten up before me to start the fire in the kitchen or make coffee.  Say it with me…”Awwwwwwww”

But I had a purpose.  I was headed over to Panera to meet with Marketing Manager -Krista Moberg,  The General Manager Jason Russell, and Stan Sears, Panera’s Bakery Training Specialist in this area.  And they promised me coffee.

You guys know that coffee will lure me out of almost anywhere.  Even at 0 dark thirty, even on a drizzly, chilly day.

It isn’t that Panera hasn’t had coffee in the past.  It is that they decided that they wanted to upgrade their coffee to the same artisan quality of their bread.

Did they do it?  Yeah they did.

I will be honest and tell you that I did not try the decaf.

The dark roast is sweet and slightly smoky in a pleasant way.  None of the scorched flavor that some other coffees have.  It was smooth when black, and handled the cream well.  The coffee presented full bodied winey  characteristics on cupping.  The beans are 100% El Indio from Tarrazu.  El Indio beans are known for a deep flavor that is characteristic of European coffees.  A perfect choice to accompany the artisan European style breads.  Tom Gumple, Panera’s head baker, created a list of pairings for each type of coffee.  His suggestions for the dark roast are:

*Pecan Braid

*Sesame Seed Bagel

*Sesame Semolina Toast

The regular roast is very well done.  As you know, my tastes tend toward the dark roast but this was a very nice full city roast.  It presented bright notes at cupping and is well balanced and sweet.  Great for people that just want a cup of coffee.

Suggested pairings are:

• Blueberry scone
• Asiago bagel
• Cinnamon raisin toast

The last coffee I tried was the Hazelnut.  By now I was on a caffeine buzz in a major way.  The hazelnut flavor was intense at first sip, fading into exotic vanilla before leaving a classic coffee finish.  Obviously the flavor is not covering up inferior beans in this coffee.

Pairing suggestions are:

• Croissant
• Cinnamon Crunch Bagel
• Whole grain toast

They have great coffee plus espresso, caramel lattes, cafe mocha, and other espresso based drinks. Honestly, Panera blows Starbucks out of the water.   And that is without even considering their breads and sandwiches.  Consider the following:

• Coffee, much better than Starbucks.
• Most companies will either buy from big multinational sources and/or not disclose the source for their coffee.  Panera has made a commitment to small, sustainable Central American farms.
• The coffee for all Panera stores is roasted at a Tyler, Texas roaster, Distant Lands.  Doing a little research let me know that Distant lands is committed to sustainable coffee raised without herbicides or pesticides.  It is not certified organic because of the fertilizers and fungicides used.
• Free WiFi
• Fireplace for ambiance
• Really smells GOOD
• Tables are comfortable
• They open at 6 a.m.  Seriously.  I did not know this.  I knew about Panera for lunch but did not have a clue about breakfast.

If you need to meet a client, work online, or just relax with a really good, honest cup of coffee, skip Starbucks and head for Panera.  the pastries are fresh, the coffee is good, and the price is right.

Now, on Wednesday Panera will be giving away samples of the breakfast sandwiches and granola as well as free coffee.  It is a great time to taste for yourself what I am talking about.  And, if you are in Dallas/Fort Worth, I will be live blogging from the Panera on Pleasant Run in Cedar Hill from about 8 a.m. until who knows.

I will be giving away Panera Coffee cups until they run out, so stop by and visit and pick up your coffee mug.

I will be publishing a lot of images and information about the bakery side of the business on Baking Delights a little later.

Post from: Kettle and Cup

And I will be there, at Panera Bread, live blogging all the action, just for you.  But that isn’t all.  Because, you , my readers, will have the unique experience of a behind the scenes look at Panera.

Why? Because your favorite tea and coffee blogger (that is me, by the way) is headed to Panera Bread at 4:30 a.m. on MONDAY morning to talk to the General Manager, the Head of Baking, and the PR Rep in charge of this area.

We will be chatting about Panera, where they are going, their coffee, and their new breakfast menu.   And maybe some other cool surprises.

So, I would love it if you would, over the next day or so, leave me questions in the comments section.  Things you would like to know about Panera.

From the Press Release:

Panera Bread has been working for more than two years to perfect its two unique new coffee blends — a Light Roast and a Dark Roast. The Light Roast Coffee is a new blend of some of the finest South and Central American beans, roasted lighter for a smooth, classic taste. The Dark Roast Coffee is a new blend of top Costa Rican beans, created for customers who prefer a robust, balanced, full-bodied coffee. All Panera Bread bakery-cafes will continue to carry its current Hazelnut and Decaffeinated coffee blends, as well as a selection of specialty Espresso and Espresso-based drinks expertly prepared by trained baristas.
“We have put the utmost care and attention into every detail of our new coffee – from selecting just the right coffee beans to roasting them in small batches to bring out the best in every bean,” said Scott Davis, Chief Concept Officer at Panera Bread. “To ensure that each cup is of the highest quality and consistency, we filter the water used down to one micron or one tenth the size of a droplet of mist. Our coffee is then served at the peak of its freshness throughout the day. With a choice of coffee for every taste all in one place, we think our new coffee is the perfect complement to our breakfast experience.”

And if you are in the Dallas Fort Worth Area I will be at the Panera in Cedar Hill Wednesday morning for live blogging.  Lots of images, lots of information, and hey, maybe if you stop by I will buy you a cup of their new coffee.  Ummm…especially since it is free.  Panera will be giving away free coffee all day along with the samples.  They will also be allowing customers to donate, and will match the dollar donations dollar for dollar to give to the North Texas Food bank.

Now, if you are in another area your Panera will be giving to your local food bank of course!

See you there!

image:SXC

Post from: Kettle and Cup

But coffee is.

There are rumors flying that Starbucks will be among the numerous stores that will be giving away something for free  if you vote.

In this case, coffee.

They are using the honor system..so you just need to go in and say, “Hey I voted.  Can I have a tall coffee please?”

Other stores are giving away other things to voters.  Krispy Kreme is giving away a star shaped red, white and blue donut…Chik-fil-a may be giving away free food…and there is even a specialty shop giving away free adult toys.

Seriously.

No, I am not telling you which one it is.   I have one word for ya on that.

Google.

So what do you think? There is so much election hype it is not funny..that’s what I think.

I will be glad when the whole thing is over.  In fact..I have a hunch I am going to be glad when the next four years are over….and I am not sure a free coffee is going to sweeten the deal one bit.

I am curious why a company would give away free coffee for voting. Especially one that  claimed it had to close so many stores…

So, will you claim your free coffee tomorrow?

image:morguefile

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Quick! What is better than getting an awesome cup of coffee?

Getting an awesome cup of coffee cheap, of course!

As I was browsing I came upon Retail Me Not, a site that has links coupons, and this area was nothing but coffee coupons.

PARTY TIME!

So I wondered if that was all and did a net search….

Bingo!

1. Scroll down the page, there are Peets, Starbucks, and other coffee coupon codes here.
2.  Free shipping codes on various coffees and teas.
3. WebbyPlanet has several coupons and codes.
4. Any Coupons has a bunch but you will have to scroll through.
5.  Free Coffee Samples from various places.
6. Rogers Coffee and Tea
7. Boca Java
8. Carolina Coffee and Tea scroll to the bottom for coupon offers
9. Coffee for less
10. Mighty Leaf Tea

There ya go…have a great time!

Image:Morguefile 

Post from: Kettle and Cup

June 2 is my husband’s 49TH birthday. Yep. I am married to an old guy. An old HOT guy. And as you can see, he likes gifts.

Anyway. We have been married for 28 years and it has been awesome. Not that we didn’t have ups and downs like anyone else but the commitment that he has shown to me, and the kids, has been over and above what anyone can imagine.

He helped me take care of both of my parents before they died. He has encouraged me in everything I have ever tried to do….and if you think Lucy (on I Love Lucy) had hairbrained schemes, you should hang out with me for a few hours.

He does not tease me about my touch sensitivity (there is a long list of things that I cannot touch, like styrofoam..they make me gag)

He encouraged me that I was not a failure when Cameo Rose went under financially.

He always kisses me before he goes to work and when he gets home and he does not raise his voice at me. I was verbally abused as a child and lived with a lot of yelling and I can’t handle yelling at all. I crumble. I am healed…but delicate.

So you get the idea? He is great.

Last June he woke up in incredible pain. He has always had trouble with his knees since boot camp, but this was unmanageable. We rushed him to the VA. After a week in the VA on morphine he came home on multiple pain killers. Since that time he has regularly been in intense pain and they keep giving him more narcotics. The do not know, yet, what is causing it.

Before he got sick he and I spent 2 hours a day at the gym. 1 hour on the elliptical, 1 hour on weights. At 6 ft 6 he weighed 220 lbs-all muscle. He could still run 3 miles in under 10 minutes.

Now, he has lost his job because he is in a wheelchair. He is working minimal hours because full time is too exhausting. He had been in jewelry for 25 years and now is working at Home Depot. Jewelry stores dislike wheelchairs. We are still fighting the VA for disability and are currently dealing with social security.

All the way through this he has had enormous faith and good humor. His trust in God has been unwavering. His commitment to me and the kids drives him on the days even the pain meds don’t work.

He is a veteran that has fallen through the cracks in the system. But we know that God is bigger than the Veteran’s Association. And He is bigger than whatever this malady turns out to be.

But…I mentioned a giveaway.

Marc and both loved the Ugly Mug coffee. And I think you will too. In honor of Marc’s birthday I am going to be giving away a pound of the coffee. Because I am so nice. \

Here is what you have to do: I have just changed the rules…New rules will be bolded.

• Give Marc a blog birthday greeting by posting a happy birthday to him on your blog. It can be long or short. It needs to say Happy 49th Birthday Marc Audet! at the very least and link back to this post. You can use images, cards, or write something more. The more creative you are the better. OR just leave a comment and wish him happy birthday here. Then let the readers on YOUR blog know about the contest…the more the better. Leave me a link to your post.
• Posts will be judged on creativity and content by Marc and I. Winner will be randomly chosen. You get 3 entries if you do a happy birthday special post on your blog, 2 entries if you leave a comment here and link to this post from your blog…and 1 entry for a comment.
• You don’t have much time…The cut off for this is Friday June 6th at 5 p.m. and I will post a winner on the 7th.

The winner can go to the Ugly Mug website, pick a coffee, and let me know what it is..I will buy it and have it shipped with in a week (or so).

I will then pick an entry at random to win a coffee mug like the one they sent me. You will LOVE it.

And…If he gets at least 100 happy birthday greetings I will give away a pound of Ugly Mug coffee per week in June.

SO, to recap…creativity will get you the coffee, but any post about this (with a comment left here) will give you an opportunity for the mug.

Have fun! I know we will…and…shhhhhh…this is a surprise~

This is linked on contest blogger.  

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Image:Morguefile

Starting today at nine a.m. Pacific time (noon Eastern), Starbucks will be introducing its new roast, Pikes Place.

The new coffee is named after the location of the first store that Starbucks opened in 1971, and will be the first Starbucks coffee advertise being ethically traded and sourced.

This is touted as being an “everyday” blend.  Interesting. I didn’ t know that the other swill I have been drinking was for special occasions only. Apparently it is being introduced to compete with McDonalds new coffee campaign.

Now, I am going to head over there today and check it out..and I will let you know what I think..but here is my immediate thought.

Isn’t Starbucks trying to compete with McDonalds the equivalent of Neiman Marcus trying to compete with Wal-mart? I mean, what is the point?  Is McDonalds coffee actually so good that people would go there for a business  meeting and leave Starbucks en masse? Starbucks carries sandwiches but I am pretty sure that noone who is in the throes of  a Big Mac attack is going to head to Starbucks.

An everyday coffee….we’ll see.

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Alfred Peet started Peet’s coffee way back in 1966, and the company’s coffee has been going strong since. And it is good, too!

In order to enter, just head over to the Peet’s Website between now and April 8, and share the story of why you love Peet’s coffee. Each week ten winners will be selected based on originality and creativity. If you win, you and five of your closest friends (ME! ME!) get free coffee for a year!

I did a review on the Major Dickason’s Blend, and really liked the coffee. Give the contest a try, and remember, if you win, I am one of your five closest friends…right? Right?

Post from: Kettle and Cup